II Sunday of Easter

NO SHORT CUT

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

The Day of Resurrection

Without Seeing You

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: We celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday today. In his book The Works of Mercy, James F. Keenan defines mercy as “the willingness to enter into the chaos of another” and I might add “and into my own chaos in imitation of the One who entered our chaos.”

God not just enters our chaos; he allows us to grapple with our chaos/doubts and stays with us in this grappling so that we come out stronger.

We pray that we may grapple with our doubts and come to a first-hand experience of faith and divine mercy.

Penitential Rite

L: For the times, we have been unwilling to grapple with our doubts and have sought short-cuts to faith, we ask the Lord to pardon us.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you bring us the peace of your forgiveness:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you give us your Spirit who is truth: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you make us one heart and mind:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Gloria

 

Opening Prayer

L: Lord God, source of all faith, day by day refine our faith, that we who have not seen the Christ may truly confess him as our Lord and God and share the blessedness of those who believe.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for the II Sunday of Easter

Reading 1    Acts 5:12-16

Psalm         Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 

Response Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting. 

                        or: Alleluia.

                Option 1 or Option 2

Reading 2 Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;

                        Blessed are those who have not seen me, but still believe!

                  Acclamation

Gospel         John 20:19-31    

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Put yourself in the place of one of the apostles. Reflect on your thoughts and feelings as you experience the presence of the risen Jesus in the room.

Sunday Snippets

Robert Johnson, ex-chairman of Johnson & Johnson, was a terror when he inspected his plants. On one visit, the plant manager had a fortunate 30-minute tip prior to his arrival. Hastily he had things spruced up by ordering several large rolls of paper transported to the roof of the building. When Johnson arrived, he was furious. His first words: “What in the hell is all that junk on the roof?” How was the manager to know Johnson would arrive in his personal helicopter!

As every homemaker knows, there are no short-cuts to sprucing up a home! It is the same with life and especially with faith. There are no short-cuts to faith! Faith comes from a personal experience of God and grows through doubt and difficulty.

This is the thrust of today’s gospel. Thomas is absent when Jesus appears to the apostles. And though the others testify that they have seen the Lord, Thomas refuses to believe: “Unless I see… and place my finger… and place my hand.” 

Thomas will not take a short-cut to faith. He is not content with a second-hand faith. He refuses to say that he believes in the resurrection when he cannot and is brave enough to express his doubt. Thomas is no different from the other apostles. The apostles did not believe the testimony of Mary Magdalene or the “Emmaus disciples”; it is only after Jesus appeared to them that they believed!

What brings Thomas to belief is not the proof he demanded but an experience of the risen Jesus. Then he affirms the divinity of Jesus.

When we use our God-given intelligence, we will have doubts and questions about our faith. Like Thomas, we need to be honest about our doubts. Like Thomas, we need to allow ourselves to experience the risen Jesus.

Will I boldly face and express my doubts, and seek a response to them? Or will I be happy with a short-cut to faith? Will I be content with a second-hand faith?

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: “Great numbers of men and women were added to them. Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets.” Where do I see this happening today? Do I see God’s love working in those who respond during natural and human-made disasters?

Reading 2: Are there people in history, “suffering for their faith,” who have received clear understanding and revelations? Can good things come from suffering?

Gospel: Am I comfortable with doubts/questions about my faith and do I seek responses to them? How does my encounter with the Risen Jesus change me? 

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: Jesus stayed with his disciples after his resurrection, and taught them to love all people. As his disciples today, we offer our prayers for the world and for people with whom we share it: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may be transformed through our encounters with the living Christ and be instruments of healing and forgiveness for those who are hurting, we pray… 

R: For our world: that God may breathe his Spirit upon the chaos of our society and its financial and political structures so that the dignity of each person may blossom, we pray…

R: For peace in all the troubled areas of the world, particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East: that Christ’s victory over death may bring an end to war, genocide, and inhumane treatment of people and help us to work together to end disease and malnutrition, we pray…

R: For all who struggle with doubts and fear: that Christ may calm their fears, help them find someone to accompany them, and touch their hearts with peace, we pray…

R: For a renewed stewardship of creation: that we may effectively care for creation and preserve its beauty and resources for coming generations, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that we may be instruments through whom others encounter Christ and give witness to Christ’s presence by our words and deeds, we pray…

L: God our Father, your Son came among his disciples and brought them peace. Let him come among us, his disciples today, in his Word and in his Body-Blood, to bring us the peace of his presence and to strengthen our faith. He is our Lord and our God now and for ever. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Lord,

you know our distress:

the planet, the injustices, the tariff wars,

Ukraine, the Middle East

all these are desperate for your healing.

Death has no power because of your resurrection.

Touch us gently,

and tell us: “Do not be afraid.”

Through us you try to heal people

and bring them home.

Use our hands, our feet, our words, our breath…

anything you can find in us,

to help fill the world with healing and your grace.

Lord, I will have doubts about my faith.

Let me not be happy with a short-cut to faith 

or be satisfied with a second-hand faith.

Be with me as I boldly face and express my doubts, 

and seek a response to them.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Lord our God, loving Father,

we have not seen your risen Son nor placed our hands into his side, but we believe that he is our Lord. May this faith unite us in love and make us responsible for anyone in need among us.

Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

Jesus Christ is Risen Today

Because He Lives

Easter Sunday

TRANSFORMED!

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

Glory and Praise to Our God

Christ Be Our Light

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: When Jesus said: ‘It is finished’ and gave up his spirit, what could his followers possibly have felt? Despair? Heartache? Anger? But on Sunday morning, that changed!

Easter is a celebration that the most hopeless of circumstances can be revived. Jesus’ resurrection is the heart of the Gospel: there is hope always – no matter what – that life, its circumstances, and we can change. 

We pray that we may experience the transformation of Easter.

Penitential Rite

L: For the times we have not been an Easter people, for the times we have despaired at the empty tomb, we ask the Lord to pardon us.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life in the Spirit:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you bring light to those in darkness: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd, leading us into everlasting life:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Gloria

 

Opening Prayer

L: Lord God, through the triumph of your Son you have shattered the gates of death and opened the way to everlasting life. Grant, we beseech you, that we who celebrate the festival of the Lord’s resurrection may rise to a new and glorious life through the power of your Spirit.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for Easter Sunday

Reading 1    Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Psalm         Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23 

Response This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. 

                        or: Alleluia.

                Option 1 or Option 2

Reading 2 Colossians 3:1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5:6b-8

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed;

                        let us then feast with joy in the Lord.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         John 20:1-9    

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Put yourself in the stead of one of the characters of the Easter story: Mary of Magdala, Peter, the beloved disciple. Reflect on your thoughts and feelings when you find the tomb empty.

Sunday Snippets

In one of his lighter moments, Benjamin Franklin penned his own epitaph: 

  The body of B. Franklin, printer, like the cover of an old book

  its contents torn out, and stripped of its lettering and gilding,

  lies here, food for worms.

  But the work shall not be wholly lost:

  for it will, as he believ’d, appear once more 

  in a new and more perfect edition, 

  corrected and amended by the author.

Franklin’s epitaph is a near-perfect summary of the transformation that the resurrection brings!

Recall the transformation that happened to Jesus. His resurrected body was radically different from his earthly body! It was so radically different that his own disciples could not recognise him, and he was able to move about as he desired, and through closed doors.

We will experience this radical transformation of our bodies on the last day; our bodies, as Ben Franklin wrote, will appear in a new and more perfect edition. 

There is another transformation that happens now, at the personal level. Look at the transformation in the disciples!

- from fear to joy and bold proclamation

- from doubt to belief 

- from people who fought for position and greatness to people who were of one heart and one soul

After the resurrection, in the words of the second reading, they became “a fresh batch of dough”!

What about me? Do I live like an Easter person with joy and in solidarity with others? If not, what are my fears and doubts that keep me from living as an Easter person and witnessing to the resurrection? What must I do to become “a fresh batch of dough”?

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: Peter proclaims: “We are witnesses of all that he did…” What has the Lord done in my life? How do I witness to what he has done for me?

Reading 2: Paul challenges the Colossians: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above.” Do I seek what is above or do I yearn for “what is on earth”? Have I used the Lenten season to “clear out the old yeast”?

Gospel: The same women who came to anoint his body in the morning had been with Jesus when he died. Contrast their behaviour with some of Jesus’ other disciples. Like whom am I: the women or the disciples? 

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: To God our Father, who has raised his Son, Jesus, from the dead, we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may radiate the light of Christ each day and confidently live as daughters and sons of God, we pray… 

R: For our world: that God may break the cycles of violence and discord, end acts of revenge, protect the innocent, and help leaders to establish peace in areas of conflict, we pray…

R: For all who find themselves walking in darkness or doubting their faith: that they may encounter the Risen Lord who brings light to their journey and peace to their hearts, we pray…

R: For all who have died: that Christ may welcome them into the eternal light and joy of God’s presence and

For all who are grieving: that God may give them peace and hope as they hear the Good News of Christ’s resurrection, we pray…

R: For greater stewardship of God’s creation: that we may work to use earth’s resources prudently and preserve them for the good of future generations, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that the Lord may pour out the Spirit upon us to transform us and enable us to continue the mission of bringing hope, meaning, and love to our society, we pray…

L: Our God and Father, you call us your sons and daughters and that is what we really are. Make us gratefully cooperate with you in the works of your creating and serving love, so as to look forward in hope to joy without end. We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

The boulder upheaved;

the burial head cloth rolled up;

an empty tomb.

Women running to tell disciples;

the disciples racing to see for themselves.

He was not there!

The one who loved us into wholeness

is alive and with us now… in a new way.

Lord,

your resurrection transformed your disciples:

Peter,

who, in fear, could not admit he knew you,

now fearless, proclaimed you boldly.

Thomas,

who wanted to touch your hands and your side,

affirmed his faith.

Lord, 

change me:

let me seek what is above;

make me a fresh batch of dough;

let me put on love,

and find ways to transform my world.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: God of life and of love,

we rejoice that Jesus is risen and that he has begun to raise us up with him in baptism. Continue in us the work of the resurrection, lift us above our faults and our mediocrity, to joy and unselfish love as we serve you in one another.

Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

Jesus Christ is Risen Today

Because He Lives

Palm Sunday

CELEBRATE OUR HUMBLE KING

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather together as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. Put a green branch (any branch will do; it does not need to be a palm branch). Through this green branch, we can remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us, and stay connected—despite “physical distancing”—as we enter into the holiest week of the Christian calendar.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

Hosanna, Son of David

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: Today we celebrate Palm Sunday when we recall Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. We celebrate his kingship, not a kingship of power and might, but a kingship of humble service, a kingship of total, selfless love.

We pray that we may imitate this king and give of ourselves to our brothers and sisters in their need.

Penitential Rite

L: For the times we have chosen the way of power, and have forgotten the way of the Lord, we ask his mercy.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you come to visit your people in peace:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, by the cross you brought pardon and hope: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you have come to create a new world:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Opening Prayer

L: Almighty and eternal God, when you sent our Saviour into the world, you gave us all an example to follow: in humble obedience he gave himself up to death on the cross. In your mercy, grant us the grace to learn from the example of his passion and to share in the glory of his resurrection.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for Palm Sunday

Reading 1    Isaiah 50:4-7

Psalm         Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 

Response My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

                Option 1  or  Option 2 or Option 3

Reading 2 Philippians 2:6-11

Acclamation

                        Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.

                        Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross 

                        Because of this, God greatly exalted him                 and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         Luke 22:14—23:56 or Luke 23:1-49 (short form)

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Journey with Jesus from the upper room to the Mount of Olives to the house of the chief priest and the Sanhedrin to Pilate to Herod to Pilate to Golgotha. Reflect on your thoughts and feelings. 

Sunday Snippets

In the movie The Lion King, young Simba sings “I Just Can’t Wait to be King”. He wants to be free with… 

No one saying ‘do this,’ no one saying ‘be there,’

No one saying ‘stop that,’ no one saying ‘see here.’

Free to run around all day, free to do it all my way!

The people of Jerusalem were like Simba. They just couldn’t wait for Jesus to be king and for a similar reason. They wanted to be free from foreign rule; they didn’t want anyone saying ‘do this’ and ‘be there’ and ‘stop that’!

Their king comes… 

But Jesus is not the mighty king they envisioned. His entry into Jerusalem was a deliberate fulfilling of Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice, O daughter Zion! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey.”

Jesus underlined his kind of kingship. Only during war did kings ride upon horses; when they came in peace they came upon a donkey. Jesus came as king of love and peace, not as the conquering military hero the people expected. He would rule through humble and obedient service.

This theme is reiterated in the readings. 

The first reading is the third “suffering servant” song. The mission of the servant is to encourage, console, and liberate the weary. 

Paul’s hymn, in the second reading, speaks about Jesus’ humility: the Son of God did not cling to his privileges but humbled himself and became obedient unto death on a cross. 

In the Gospel, following the meal, the disciples argue about who is the greatest. Jesus takes the opportunity to distinguish leadership in the Kingdom from forms of leadership seen in the world. 

During his passion, Jesus is betrayed, deserted, disowned; is kicked around like a political football, flogged to pacify a politician’s conscience, and handed to the mob because of cowardice. Despite his suffering, Jesus is merciful and other-centred: he is concerned about the women who follow him; asks forgiveness for the ones crucifying him; promises the repentant thief a place in heaven.

Today’s liturgy places before me two models of leadership: the people’s model of seeking freedom and power to do one’s will and Jesus’ way of humility, self-emptying, and loving service.

Which model of power do I choose and live? May we be free to do it HIS way!

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: If Jesus hadn’t challenged the status quo, would he have gone to the cross? “Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear.” What am I hearing now?

Reading 2: Does Jesus way of self-emptying make sense to me in today’s world? Why or why not?

Gospel: The marginalized or the neglected went with Jesus on the way to his death. These included the women, Simon, and the good thief. What does this tell you about Jesus and those who went with him? 

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: As we remember the hardships that Jesus endured for us, we are filled with hope because God is with us always, even in difficult moments of life. Let us therefore call upon him who hears all of our needs and pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that all Christians may celebrate these holy days with deep faith, we pray… 

R: For the leaders of government: that they recognize in Jesus the model for leadership and follow him in serving those entrusted to their care, we pray…

R: For our human family: that every heart may reject violence and force as ways to resolve conflicts, offer support to all who have been injured, and seek new means of reconciliation and healing, we pray…

R: For all who experience bigotry, violence, or discrimination: that God may heal their spirits, protect them from harm, and help them find new communities that offer support and acceptance, we pray…

R: For the sick: that God’s healing love may bring healing to them, we pray…

R: For ourselves:– that God’s love may sustain us and help us to trust in his providence each day, we pray…

L: God of compassion, in the death and resurrection of Jesus, you show your love for us. Sustain us in our passion and suffering, and help us accept your way of love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Lord Jesus, 

after you predicted that one of the disciples would betray you,

they began arguing about 

“which of them should be regarded as the greatest”!

Lord,

during your passion,

you did not shield your face from pounding and spitting,

nor answer when the soldiers obscured your eyes

and asked: “Who is it that struck you?’’

You “did not regard equality with God 

as something to cling to”

but emptied yourself

and accepted everything that came on your way

of complete self-emptying.

Lord,

teach me to imitate you in your self-emptying,

and not to seek greatness and glory.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: God our Father,

in the passion and death of Jesus, your Son, you have made us aware of how deeply you love us. Make us also conscious of evil and sin, and to keep believing in your love when we have to bear our daily cross.

Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

We Remember 

Outrageous Grace

V Sunday of Lent

DON’T LOOK BACK!

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather together as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

Hosea/Come Back to Me

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: There is a phrase we hear often: “the good old days”! It’s perfectly all right to recall the past; it’s even necessary for growth. But sometimes we get stuck in a time warp. We fail to enjoy what are perhaps the “better new days”. The Word of God challenges us today to leave the past – good or bad – to live in the present. 

We pray that we may let bygones be bygones and live now trusting that God is in every tomorrow!

Penitential Rite

L: For the times we have focused on the past and have not lived in the present, we ask the Lord to forgive us.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you did not condemn the woman caught in adultery:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you did not condemn Peter when he denied you: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you did not condemn the thief who repented:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Opening Prayer

L: God of mercy,

you bring forth springs in the wasteland and turn despair into hope. Look not upon the sins of our past, but lift from our hearts the failures that weigh us down, that we may find refreshment and life.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for the V Sunday of Lent

Reading 1    Isaiah 43:16-21

Psalm         Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6

Response The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

                Option 1 or Option 2 or Option 3

Reading 2 Philippians 3:8-14

Acclamation

                        Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.

                        Even now, says the Lord,                 return to me with your whole heart;                 for I am gracious and merciful.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         John 8:1-11  

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are in the temple area when the Pharisees and scribes bring the woman who was caught in adultery. What are your thoughts and feelings when witness this scene?

What are your thoughts and feelings as you hear Jesus’ response to them and his dialogue with the woman?

Sunday Snippets

August 7, 1954. Vancouver, Canada. The venue of one of the greatest track and field events in history: the “miracle mile”. Only two men had run the mile under four minutes: Roger Bannister and John Landy. This was a face-off. At the start of the final lap, Landy was ahead and looked certain to win. But as he neared the finishing line, he wondered about Bannister’s position and looked back; his stride faltered, and Bannister passed him to win the race. Landy later said: “I would have won the race if I hadn’t looked back.”

Looking back is the cause of many of our problems. We need to look at the past and to learn from our mistakes. The problem is we remain looking back. 

In the first reading, Isaiah commands the people in Babylon “to remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.” These were nothing bad. They included the Exodus: their liberation and foundational event! Yet he asks them to “remember not” for Israel had problems whenever she clung to the past.

Paul, writing to the Philippians, recounts “the supreme good of knowing Christ.” He had been a model Pharisee. Now that he has been seized by Christ, the past no longer counts.

In the gospel, we hear of the woman caught in adultery. The problem was not the woman or her adulterous act. The problem is that scribes and the Pharisees are stuck in the past: entrenched in the law and weighed down by hatred towards Jesus and the woman. Jesus refuses to condemn the woman. The woman can now forget what lies behind and embrace the new possibility that grace gives her.

We have a past:  sicknesses, horrible experiences; accomplishments, happy memories. We can carry our past with us and let it weigh us down. Or we can choose to leave it behind.

Do I look through the rearview mirror or through the windshield of life? What are the things of the past that weigh me down and prevent me from enjoying the present?

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: God said: “see, I am doing something new!” What is the “something new” God is doing in my life today?

Reading 2: St Paul says: “forgetting what lies behind… I continue my pursuit toward the goal.” Do I forget what lies behind? Or do I drive down a highway constantly looking in my rear-view mirror? Do I strain forward to see what lies ahead?” What happens to “now” if I am always looking forward or backwards?

Gospel: Let me imagine myself first as one of the Pharisees, then as this frightened woman. What impact do would this encounter have had on me?

On what do I focus when I see the flaws of others: on the flaw/ law or on mercy? How can I meet people with kindness instead of being judgmental/ cynical?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: In his love, God wants to make the world ever new. Let us entrust to his mercy our intentions and those of our brothers and sisters, as we pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that it may be a place and a sign of reconciliation and of looking ahead, we pray… 

R: For the leaders of nations: that they may be willing to forget the past and begin again to build unity, peace, and justice for all, we pray…

R: For those wounded by the hardships of life: that they may strain forward to what lies ahead, we pray, we pray…

R: For all who are suffering, particularly refugees and those affected by war and natural disasters that they may know the power of Christ’s resurrection and the hope that Christ offers for tomorrow, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that we may be bound by neither our sins nor our self-righteousness but open ourselves to receive and celebrate God’s forgiving love each day, we pray…

L: God, our loving Father, we thank you for showing us your loving mercy. Help us not to shut ourselves up in the mediocrity of our past but to set out boldly for the future, trusting in your loving care for us. Through Christ our Lord. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Lord,

the scribes and Pharisees 

used the woman as a bait to catch you, 

and they had no hesitation 

about shaming her terribly in the process.

You protected her from the injustice of her captors,

and caught them in their hypocrisy.

You refused to condemn the woman.

Lord,

this is the “something new” that you bring in our lives:

forgiving the sinner and confronting the self-righteous.

Help us to find new paths

of reconciliation and peace,

in climate change and racial justice.

Give us power 

to accept the loss of all things to gain you.

We are your “masterpieces in the making.”

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: God our merciful Father,

you want the sinner to live

and to become all new.

Let us no longer live in the past of sin

but make us free for life and for love.

Give us hearts as merciful to one another

as you have been lenient and loving to us.

Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

Amazing Grace

Behold, I Make All Things New